16.
Sydney raised her eyebrows at the man standing in front of her. After all, he wasn't Michael Vaughn. . . he was Michael Bristow. And she was Sydney Vaughn. Two completely different people, meeting for the first time in a small, cozy, and unnamed restaurant. There were no broken rules; there were no rules at all. No rules. No protocol.
Just. . . mutual attraction.
She smiled. "Sydney Vaughn. Thank you for the wine. It's delicious."
Vaughn looked at the glass half full of wine in her hand. Conspiratorially, he bent over towards her face and whispered into her ear, "It would be nice to be asked to join you seeing as how I am paying for the wine."
Flushing, she pointed to the seat across from her. He sat down, grinning. "So, Miss Vaughn, where have you been all these years while I was looking for that perfect someone?"
Sydney rolled her eyes. "Hiding from people who say things like that. . . if I am perfectly honest."
He laughed and placed a hand over his heart. "Ooh that hurt."
His face turned serious as he looked at her. "You are stunning. Absolutely stunning."
Heat rushed up to her cheeks and she knew that she probably matched the glass of wine in her hand. "I have to say that you weren't exactly unnoticed when you walked through the door either. I acted like I didn't see you but I was actually checking you out." She grinned at him.
Michael laughed. "That is a very high compliment. Do we know each other well enough to call each other by our first names?"
It was almost as if this alternate life were really true for the both of them. Sydney felt the rush of the compliments, the dizzying feeling she got when he looked at her, and the blushes from everything he said. At the moment, everything changed and she was Sydney Vaughn after all. "Yes Michael, I think that we do."
He noticeably relaxed. "Good."
The waiter watched them from the podium, smiling softly at the beginnings of love that were displayed before him. It was always a nice feeling to know that his restaurant could bring happiness to people after all. It was almost as if they knew each other. Their actions were relaxed; their conversation was easy. But then again, they looked right too. Though they had contrasting features and coloration, they complimented each other and the chemistry was visible to everyone. He sighed and straightened his jacket, getting ready to take their orders.
~ a few hour(s) later~
Laughing, Sydney and Michael walked out of the restaurant. The night was cold but it was a good feeling knowing that even during the cold, the warmth of the other person was still there close enough to touch. It was a comfort to Sydney at least to know that Vaughn was by her side.
"Well, I have to admit that you were right. That restaurant was really amazing. The food was fabulous, the atmosphere was comfortable, and the whole architecture and look of the place. . . it was just absolutely breath- taking."
Vaughn smiled at her and took her hand in his. This felt right; it felt good. He finally felt like he was in the right place at the right time. There were no awkward Alice-moments or silences that were so unbearable that it felt as if SOMETHING had to be said no matter what it was. "I'm surprised you noticed all that. I couldn't look at anything else but you."
He loved watching her blush. It gave her a touch of the bashful femininity that she rarely displayed on missions. Oh, he knew that she was feminine. . . he knew she was every time he looked at her or thought about her. But this was different. This was soft and truly made him feel like he was an important person in her life. Not that he needed to feel like he mattered, it was just that. . . to know that he was the cause of Sydney's blush made him feel good. It let him know that he had some effect on her.
They reached her car. Sydney looked down at their hands, still intertwined. She liked the feeling of being with someone again. She even liked this feeling of possession. . . that she belonged to Vaughn and vice versa. Of course she was independent; no one could doubt that. But to be silly and girly and fall back on a man at times. . . especially if the man was Vaughn, was a pleasure that could be had without guilt.
"Well. . ." She looked up at him, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to say anything. "I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want this night to end. I. . . I had such a good time Vaughn, I hope you know that."
Vaughn smiled at her. "I did get the impression that you did. Don't worry Syd, goodbye doesn't mean goodbye. It just means until next time. Or until we see each other again. Which, in our case, is tomorrow. I will see you tomorrow."
Sydney grin faltered. "At work. Oh Vaughn, what's that going to be like? Working with you, wanting to kiss you and not being able to? What- never mind, it doesn't matter. I don't and won't regret anything. Okay, I will see you tomorrow."
He smiled at her concerns and her rambling. And then he slowly lowered his face towards hers until their lips touched. The electricity ran through them again and Sydney knew that it was something she would never get used to, this feeling of power that surged through her when she kissed him. She closed her eyes and let herself go, letting the perfect evening and the perfect date have a perfect ending. She felt Vaughn's hands hold her waist tightly and she felt safe in his embrace. She raised her hands from her sides and slowly moved them up his arms until they rested at his shoulders, gently pressing on them and she lifted herself onto her tip toes to get better leverage. His arms tightened accordingly, holding her on her toes. Sydney realized what they must look like and broke away, laughing.
Vaughn looked at her, puzzled by her reaction. She smiled at him, "You didn't do anything wrong. I was just thinking about what we must look like, you know, me on my tippy-toes, you holding me up, us locked in a kiss in the middle of the street."
He chuckled a little then too. "I had a really good time too."
And then he turned away and, whispering so softly that she could barely hear it, he said "Thank you for putting meaning back into my life."
She watched him walk away, broad back and lean body moving gracefully and almost fluidly to his car. She couldn't believe that he loved her. She sighed, shook her head and laughed before getting into her car.
She didn't even remember to stop smiling.
~End Flashback~ (Present Time = 3 months after Chapters 1~16)
Sydney sighed, she always loved that memory, the knowledge that she and Vaughn had perfect dates, a perfect relationship, a perfect life was always a source of happiness and comfort. He was perfect. Sometimes she just sat there, playing the memories over and over in her head, wondering what she could have done to earn his affections. And other times she just wanted to hit herself for waiting those 20 minutes before telling him that she loved him too.
But it was done and over with now. They were together, they had endured, and so far, at least to their knowledge, no one suspected.
Of course people had commented that they had been happier in the last 3 months, that they had had a glow or that they laughed far more than before. But they had never put everything together and for that, Sydney was grateful. Her time with Vaughn was her own and when they were together, nothing and no one else existed.
In fact, work had been a lot easier to deal with than either of them had expected. They were now able to talk to each other, say anything that was on their minds without worrying about the rules or conduct or protocol. If anything, work was easier because they did not have to worry about the tension between them any more. And they found a lot more time to themselves than they thought they would. After all, there wasn't much interaction with other agents at the CIA. Fraternization with co-workers was frowned upon you know.
She looked at the clock. It was nearly 10 o' clock. Vaughn was planning on taking her to the restaurant again for dinner and she still had a couple of classes to attend. Plus, her dissertation was due and she had asked for so many continuances that at this rate, she would never graduate.
So Sydney sat down at her laptop and started typing and somehow managed to keep from thinking about Vaughn and their date. For a minute or two.
Review people~ let's get the number of reviews to 120. . . that would make me really really really happy and get me to write chapters faster.
Oh, by the way, I feel that it is my duty as an author to warn you than within the next 4-6 chapters (yes there will be 4 or more chapters) EVERYTHING will change. . .
(and you know I'm going to use those cliff-hangers ;) )~Jenn
Sydney raised her eyebrows at the man standing in front of her. After all, he wasn't Michael Vaughn. . . he was Michael Bristow. And she was Sydney Vaughn. Two completely different people, meeting for the first time in a small, cozy, and unnamed restaurant. There were no broken rules; there were no rules at all. No rules. No protocol.
Just. . . mutual attraction.
She smiled. "Sydney Vaughn. Thank you for the wine. It's delicious."
Vaughn looked at the glass half full of wine in her hand. Conspiratorially, he bent over towards her face and whispered into her ear, "It would be nice to be asked to join you seeing as how I am paying for the wine."
Flushing, she pointed to the seat across from her. He sat down, grinning. "So, Miss Vaughn, where have you been all these years while I was looking for that perfect someone?"
Sydney rolled her eyes. "Hiding from people who say things like that. . . if I am perfectly honest."
He laughed and placed a hand over his heart. "Ooh that hurt."
His face turned serious as he looked at her. "You are stunning. Absolutely stunning."
Heat rushed up to her cheeks and she knew that she probably matched the glass of wine in her hand. "I have to say that you weren't exactly unnoticed when you walked through the door either. I acted like I didn't see you but I was actually checking you out." She grinned at him.
Michael laughed. "That is a very high compliment. Do we know each other well enough to call each other by our first names?"
It was almost as if this alternate life were really true for the both of them. Sydney felt the rush of the compliments, the dizzying feeling she got when he looked at her, and the blushes from everything he said. At the moment, everything changed and she was Sydney Vaughn after all. "Yes Michael, I think that we do."
He noticeably relaxed. "Good."
The waiter watched them from the podium, smiling softly at the beginnings of love that were displayed before him. It was always a nice feeling to know that his restaurant could bring happiness to people after all. It was almost as if they knew each other. Their actions were relaxed; their conversation was easy. But then again, they looked right too. Though they had contrasting features and coloration, they complimented each other and the chemistry was visible to everyone. He sighed and straightened his jacket, getting ready to take their orders.
~ a few hour(s) later~
Laughing, Sydney and Michael walked out of the restaurant. The night was cold but it was a good feeling knowing that even during the cold, the warmth of the other person was still there close enough to touch. It was a comfort to Sydney at least to know that Vaughn was by her side.
"Well, I have to admit that you were right. That restaurant was really amazing. The food was fabulous, the atmosphere was comfortable, and the whole architecture and look of the place. . . it was just absolutely breath- taking."
Vaughn smiled at her and took her hand in his. This felt right; it felt good. He finally felt like he was in the right place at the right time. There were no awkward Alice-moments or silences that were so unbearable that it felt as if SOMETHING had to be said no matter what it was. "I'm surprised you noticed all that. I couldn't look at anything else but you."
He loved watching her blush. It gave her a touch of the bashful femininity that she rarely displayed on missions. Oh, he knew that she was feminine. . . he knew she was every time he looked at her or thought about her. But this was different. This was soft and truly made him feel like he was an important person in her life. Not that he needed to feel like he mattered, it was just that. . . to know that he was the cause of Sydney's blush made him feel good. It let him know that he had some effect on her.
They reached her car. Sydney looked down at their hands, still intertwined. She liked the feeling of being with someone again. She even liked this feeling of possession. . . that she belonged to Vaughn and vice versa. Of course she was independent; no one could doubt that. But to be silly and girly and fall back on a man at times. . . especially if the man was Vaughn, was a pleasure that could be had without guilt.
"Well. . ." She looked up at him, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to say anything. "I don't want to say goodbye. I don't want this night to end. I. . . I had such a good time Vaughn, I hope you know that."
Vaughn smiled at her. "I did get the impression that you did. Don't worry Syd, goodbye doesn't mean goodbye. It just means until next time. Or until we see each other again. Which, in our case, is tomorrow. I will see you tomorrow."
Sydney grin faltered. "At work. Oh Vaughn, what's that going to be like? Working with you, wanting to kiss you and not being able to? What- never mind, it doesn't matter. I don't and won't regret anything. Okay, I will see you tomorrow."
He smiled at her concerns and her rambling. And then he slowly lowered his face towards hers until their lips touched. The electricity ran through them again and Sydney knew that it was something she would never get used to, this feeling of power that surged through her when she kissed him. She closed her eyes and let herself go, letting the perfect evening and the perfect date have a perfect ending. She felt Vaughn's hands hold her waist tightly and she felt safe in his embrace. She raised her hands from her sides and slowly moved them up his arms until they rested at his shoulders, gently pressing on them and she lifted herself onto her tip toes to get better leverage. His arms tightened accordingly, holding her on her toes. Sydney realized what they must look like and broke away, laughing.
Vaughn looked at her, puzzled by her reaction. She smiled at him, "You didn't do anything wrong. I was just thinking about what we must look like, you know, me on my tippy-toes, you holding me up, us locked in a kiss in the middle of the street."
He chuckled a little then too. "I had a really good time too."
And then he turned away and, whispering so softly that she could barely hear it, he said "Thank you for putting meaning back into my life."
She watched him walk away, broad back and lean body moving gracefully and almost fluidly to his car. She couldn't believe that he loved her. She sighed, shook her head and laughed before getting into her car.
She didn't even remember to stop smiling.
~End Flashback~ (Present Time = 3 months after Chapters 1~16)
Sydney sighed, she always loved that memory, the knowledge that she and Vaughn had perfect dates, a perfect relationship, a perfect life was always a source of happiness and comfort. He was perfect. Sometimes she just sat there, playing the memories over and over in her head, wondering what she could have done to earn his affections. And other times she just wanted to hit herself for waiting those 20 minutes before telling him that she loved him too.
But it was done and over with now. They were together, they had endured, and so far, at least to their knowledge, no one suspected.
Of course people had commented that they had been happier in the last 3 months, that they had had a glow or that they laughed far more than before. But they had never put everything together and for that, Sydney was grateful. Her time with Vaughn was her own and when they were together, nothing and no one else existed.
In fact, work had been a lot easier to deal with than either of them had expected. They were now able to talk to each other, say anything that was on their minds without worrying about the rules or conduct or protocol. If anything, work was easier because they did not have to worry about the tension between them any more. And they found a lot more time to themselves than they thought they would. After all, there wasn't much interaction with other agents at the CIA. Fraternization with co-workers was frowned upon you know.
She looked at the clock. It was nearly 10 o' clock. Vaughn was planning on taking her to the restaurant again for dinner and she still had a couple of classes to attend. Plus, her dissertation was due and she had asked for so many continuances that at this rate, she would never graduate.
So Sydney sat down at her laptop and started typing and somehow managed to keep from thinking about Vaughn and their date. For a minute or two.
Review people~ let's get the number of reviews to 120. . . that would make me really really really happy and get me to write chapters faster.
Oh, by the way, I feel that it is my duty as an author to warn you than within the next 4-6 chapters (yes there will be 4 or more chapters) EVERYTHING will change. . .
(and you know I'm going to use those cliff-hangers ;) )~Jenn
